Seasons of Life

                                                                                                                                                                             

Aloha Dearest Family,

                I recently read this quote from Cathy Lawton;

                One season or time of day does not tell the whole truth of the garden. Just as one visit in one setting doesn’t tell you all about a person or group of people.

 This quote brought several images to my mind. First, a snap-shot of a garden, months before it blooms. I can clearly see the barren looking ground, the brown hard dirt, perhaps some weeds had sprung up in this empty space. Next, I see this same scene months later. With beautiful, manicured flowers, all of the vibrant colors making this entire garden look alive and flourishing. You could have never guessed what this piece of ground would look like months before. But this is what the seasons of life look like.

                The seasons of life are seen in every part of God’s creation. Not just in the ways of the earth, but of man also. We will all go through different seasons throughout our lives. It is the way God designed it. These following words of Solomon still ring true even today:

                 “To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to count as lost, a time to keep and a time to discard, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace…He has made everything beautiful in its time…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 11a)

                 Most of us who are older, can easily look back on our lives and recognize these “season of life”. But what I have learned through it all, is that in every season we go through, this can also be a season for rejoicing in God Almighty, for it is God who is the designer of life.

                 In Philippians the Apostle Paul mentions that he also had gone through many seasons in his life.

                 “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” (Philippians 4:11 and 12 NIV)

  Paul says that through his life, there were times when he was in need and there were times when he had plenty. There were times when he was well-fed and times when he was hungry. But Paul says that no matter what circumstance he found himself in, he had learned the secret of being CONTENT. When he wrote these words he was in chains in a Roman prison. How could he have possibly been content with his situation?

                 He writes, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Verse 13)

A better translation of this verse is:

     “I can face any situation or condition for my union with Christ continually infuses me with strength.”

             Like Paul, we can also find strength to endure all of life’s trials because we are united with the one who overcame death. Since we are in union with Jesus Christ, we will be infused with inner strength so that we can overcome ANY situation because it’s not our strength we are relying on – it’s his.

          Every man or woman will go through many seasons through his or her life; and not every season is fun. But every season also brings with it an opportunity for us to grow in our trust in God. He instructs us to rejoice during seasons of suffering and why is that? It is during these times that we can learn and grow with Him and in Him. How? Read His Word. Think His Word. Obey His Word no matter the circumstances surrounding you. Each man or woman makes a choice whether to walk with God during trials or to walk on his own. Only one choice guarantees victory.

     “Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3)

 It is sad when people go through these seasons of life and don’t learn anything. We should learn to rejoice no matter what we are going through (see I Thessalonians 5:16).

     Through every season of life God can always cause us to triumph and grow. Just like a garden, we can never underestimate the ability of God to prosper a man or woman when they trust Him. Because we’ve asked God to be our gardener, our lives can blossom and bloom and produce magnificent, abundant fruit. He is constantly at work cultivating and pruning our lives so that we will show His goodness to the world. So, keep growing. Remember the mighty oak tree was once a little sapling.

                    Love Always, Ray

Influencers

                                               

Aloha Dearest Family,

                Lately, I’m seeing more and more people who refer to themselves as “influencers”. By definition, this is a person who is regarded as an expert in their particular field, who also has a following. People trust their opinions and the products they endorse carry considerable weight. In the social media world, anyone that has a blog or a podcast can be considered an influencer and their followers trust whatever they say. BUT you must be confidant that what they say is CORRECT. If it is not, this could have disastrous results on their followers.

                Good parents are always on the lookout for bad influences that affect their children. Whether it be what TV programs they watch, what they are taught in school, the type of language they hear and even what friends they hang around with. From an early age, these parents have spent years instructing them what they should do and what they should not do. Every parent wants their child to follow their instructions, even when they are not around. This is why good parents are always on the lookout for what or who will be an influence on their child. As a parent myself, I know how easily children can be swayed to listen to someone else and forget about all of the proper instruction that they have received.

                The Bible says tons about raising children. The book of Proverbs, for example, gives us instruction on this very topic. 

                “My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for innocent blood, let’s ambush some harmless soul; let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit (the grave); we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; cast lots with us (choose to hang with us); we will all share the loot”—  (Proverbs 1:10-14 NIV)

Any father will give the same words of instruction to their sons. Do not associate with those who want to cause mischief.

                “My son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood…. (For in reality) These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves! Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it.” (Verses 15-19) 

In the ancient East, every boy was required to know these sections from Proverbs. They were not only required to follow their father’s instructions but also God’s commandments. We should do the same. This is why parents are constantly on the lookout for ANY influences that may be questionable. This is necessary if we want to raise children to be successful adults who will be a blessing to others and not a curse.

                Fortunately, God has given to us plenty of examples of what TO do and also what NOT to do.  

 Israel

                When the children of Israel conquered the Promised Land, God instructed them to cast out the inhabitants of the land that lived there. God knew that if they did not, Israel would be influenced to follow the ungodly practices of these people. These people that were allowed to stay, would be to Israel, like thorns in their sides.

                 “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live.” (Numbers 33:55) 

If you study the history of Israel, you will find that this is exactly what they did. The inhabitants were allowed to stay and Israel started worshipping the god’s of the people of the land. In time they started to sacrifice their own children on the altar of these god’s.

 Solomon

                King Solomon is another example of what NOT to do. Because of God’s wonderful grace on the house of David, his son Solomon became the wisest and richest man who ever lived. But Solomon married many wives who worshipped other god’s and, in turn, he himself started worshipping these god’s.

                 “King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.” (I Kings 11:1-4)

Because of this, Solomon’s son would reign over a divided kingdom.

 Joshua

                When God commanded Joshua to cross over the Jordan river and conquer the Promised Land, He instructed him…

                 “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:5-7)         

God told Joshua that He would cause him to be successful IF he obeyed the Law of Moses, meditated in it and did not turn from it from the right or to the left. This is a figure of speech that means to keep your eyes ONLY of God’s words and not be distracted by any other influences. This is the same type of promise God made later to Israel and to Solomon. But Joshua DID obey all of God’s law and God caused him to be very successful. Joshua was the one who famously stated, “..Choose you this day whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15) Joshua didn’t care who the people chose to serve (their decision would not affect him). BUT he and his household would serve the Lord God of Israel. God was his biggest influence. 

                This is a great lesson for all of us. First, for parents who are endeavoring to raise children to love God; basically, a child’s ONLY job is to OBEY. We teach them to obey US so that one day they will know how to obey God (If a child will not obey us, he will not obey God) and we constantly watch for bad influences and steer them clear of them.

“Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character” (I Corinthians 15:33 NIV).

                Second, we each need to be aware of influences that are not Godly. Our measurement is God’s Word. If it does not line up with The Word, IT IS WRONG. Let’s let God’s Word be our greater influencer. When we meditate in His Word, God promises us great success in all that we do.

                 “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law, day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.” (Psalm 1:1-3) 

                       Love Always, Ray